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The 28-year-old one-time Barcelona starlet appeared to respond by posting a “respect” meme on social media on Saturday night, and today he Tweeted a Happy New Year message to fans that read: “I end a year full of lots of different experiences that allow me to go into 2019 feeling positive. Thanks to everyone who has supported me during 2018.”

Bojan has been absent from the Potters’ last seven matchday squads, prompting speculation that his Stoke career could come to an end next month when the transfer window opens.

He has started three games in the Championship this season, all at home - a 1-1 draw with Brentford, a 2-0 win over Bolton and a 1-0 defeat to Birmingham.

He is Stoke’s second-most used sub, with 10 outings from the bench behind Peter Crouch (18), and scored a late equaliser at Rotherham with a deft header in September.

It’s all a far cry from the autumn of 2014 when Bojan was in his pomp as a Stoke City player. Having adjusted to the demands of Premier League football, the bargain recruit from Barca was at the heart of a team which won at Tottenham, beat Arsenal and Everton.

He was on the fringes of a recall to the Spain team when he suffered an awful knee injury in an FA Cup tie at Rochdale in January 2015 which would rule him out for the rest of the season.

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Bojan hurried his recovery and was starting again by September – then figured alongside Xherdan Shaqiri and Marko Arnautovic in a false nine formation which inspired scintillating wins over Manchester City, Manchester United and Everton.

He was linked with Chelsea, United and Liverpool, but signed a new long-term contract in February 2016. However, he has only started 13 of Stoke's subsequent 114 league games. He went to Mainz and then, last season, Alaves in search of more regular action.

A change of manager and status for relegated Stoke had left many fans hoping Bojan would be the catalyst for a quick return to the Premier League, but that now seems unlikely to happen for either team or player.